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Strip Nude for Your Killer (1975)
Arrow Video
Blu-ray Disc Released: 3/19/2019
All Ratings out of
Movie:
½
Video:
Audio:
½
Extras:
½
Review by Mike Long, Posted on 3/1/2019
In the recent review for Invasion of the Blood Farmers, we discussed the importance of a film’s title. And the aforementioned movie is a great example of how promoters used to slap sensational names on releases in order to garner attention. This was big in the mid-to-latter part of the 20th century, where we got some crazy titles, especially with drive-in movies. Meanwhile, in Italy, giallo films (see All the Colors of Giallo for a primer on this) had a streak of multi-word monikers. Combine these two ideas and we get 1975’s Strip Nude for Your Killer. And, for once, we can’t accuse American distributors for creating this bonkers name, as the original Italian name is Nude Per L'assassino. The question is, does the film deserve the kind of notice that sort of title will draw?
Gisella (Amanda) oversees a modeling agency called Albatross. (Is that a good name?) The place is a hot-bed of controversy, filled with sexual activity and backstabbing. Photographer Carlo (Nino Castelnuovo) often mixes searches for his next model, with quests for a new lover. When he spots Lucia (Femi Benussi) at a local pool, he convinces her to be a model (and more). Meanwhile, Gisella ignores her rotund husband and spends most of her time trying to seduce the models. And everyone at the agency is after Magda (Edwige Fenech). As if all of this intrigue isn’t enough, someone is murdering people in and connected to the agency. Carlo and Magda decide to take it upon themselves to solve the crimes, despite the fact that the police are crawling all over the agency.
Italian films are notorious for how they just begin, and Strip Nude for Your Killer looks to outdo all of the competition, as the opening shot is of a doctor prone between a woman’s legs. This scene is a little to vague for its own good, which is odd, as the movie doesn’t seem to have much shame. We do eventually understand that what we are witnessing is an abortion gone wrong, and that the patient died. This is what kicks off the string of murders.
Of course, being a giallo, this storyline has very little to do with the movie. These films are about two things – style and shocks. The film’s first stab (pun intended) at style comes from the killer’s outfit, which includes a black motorcycle helmet and a black leather outfit. This may come off as cliched today (it was featured again in 1981’s Night School), but it was probably fresh in 1975. As for the shooting style, it’s pretty standard, offering some moving camera, but few creative angles.
And when it comes to shocks, the movie gets a little questionable. Sex and nudity are a staple of giallo. But, they are front and center in Strip Nude for Your Killer (I guess that the title should have been a giveaway). With most giallo, we get murders and awkward dialogue scenes, which some sex thrown in here and there. This film plays more like a soft (although not all that soft) core erotic movie which just happens to have a killer subplot. Again, any film which opens with pubic hair clearly has an agenda.
In the end, Strip Nude for Your Killer is an odd entry into the giallo oeuvre. The film has all of the hallmarks of the genre. But, even more than most films like this, it seems oddly uninterested in the mystery at times. When there is a long sequence which involves Gisella’s husband driving a model around town, you know that a movie is distracted. Strip Nude for Your Killer comes from Andrea Bianchi, the director of the legendary zombie movie Burial Ground, and if you’ve seen that movie, then you know that his features can get wacky. Fans of actress Edwige Fenech will find a lot (of skin) to like here, but those looking for a more serious giallo will be disappointed.
Strip Nude for Your Killer is a title that doesn’t make any sense…but it does on Blu-ray Disc courtesy of Arrow Video. The film has been letterboxed at 2.35:1 and the Disc contains an AVC 1080p HD transfer which runs at 28 Mbps. The image is very sharp and clear, showing very mild grain and no overt defects from the source materials. The colors look good, and the image is not overly dark or bright. The depth is notable, as many films like this can have a flat look. The Disc carries a Linear PCM Mono audio track which runs at 48 kHz and a constant 2.3 Mbps. The track provides clear dialogue and sound effects. Being a mono track, we don’t get any dynamic audio effects. However, the music never overpowers the actors and there is no hissing or popping on the track.
The Strip Nude for Your Killer Blu-ray Disc contains several extra features. We begin with an AUDIO COMMENTARY from Author Adrian J. Smith and David Flint. “Sex and Death with a Smile” (23 minutes) is a video essay from author and critic Kat Elllinger which focuses no giallo and specifically on actress Edwige Fenech. “A Good Man for the Murders” (15 minutes) offers Nino Castelnuovo an opportunity to discuss his career in this archival interview. “The Blond Salamander” (19 minutes) is a modern-day talk with Erna Schurer, who talks about her involvement in the film…while she holds a pipe. Assistant Director Daniele Sangiorgi talks about his work with Bianchi and other aspects of his career in “The Art of Helping” (45 minutes). “Jack of All Trades” (22 minutes) gives Tino Polenghi a chance to divulge secrets from his odd career. The extras are rounded out by the Italian and English TRAILERS, as well as an IMAGE GALLERY.
Review Copyright 2019 by Mike Long